Contents

Prefixes

The prefix "IJS" stands for "Imperial Japanese Ship" (Japanese: 日本帝国船 Nihon-teikoku sen), and is derived from English. According to the Imperial Naval Basic Law signed in 1805 by the Shogun, "all vessels serving the Imperial Japanese Navy will have the words 'Imperial Japanese Ship' or the letters 'IJS.' All vessels not commissioned into the Navy, but are under command of Naval forces, shall carry the prefix of 'IJNS' or 'Imperial Japanese Naval Ship.' All vessels carrying the IJS prefix must be registered on the Imperial Naval Registry. Naval bases shall carry the prefix of 'Imperial Japanese Naval Facility' or 'IJNF.'"

Registration numbers

Since the IJS Yamato (IR-5), all vessels commissioned into the Imperial Japanese Navy carry a registration which is also painted onto their hulls for easier identification. Each registration number has a prefix denoting what type of vessel the subject is. The possible prefixes are as follows:

SK — Ironclad (装甲艦 Sōkō-kan)

JN — Frigate (巡洋艦 Junyō-kan)

KH — Brig (小帆船 Kohan-sen)

HM — Schooner (帆前船 Homae-sen)

HK — Gunboat (砲艦 Hōkan)

JY — Experimental vessel (実験容器 Jikken-yōki)

In service

Name

Registry number

Country of origin

Class/Type

Ordered

Laid

Completed

Commissioned

Fleet

Notes

IJS Kukkyōna Eihei (屈強な衛兵 — Strong guard)

—

Japan

Brig

1806.5

1807

1807.5

1807.5

1st Fleet

IJS Tokugawa Ieyasu (徳川家康 — Tokugawa Ieyasu)

—

Japan

Brig

1807

1807

1807.5

1807.5

1st Fleet

IJS Touitsu (統一 — Unity)

—

Japan

Brig

1807

1807

1807.5

1807.5

1st Fleet

IJS Yukikaze (雪風 — Snowy wind)

—

Japan

Brig

1807

1807

1807.5

1807.5

1st Fleet

IJS Fubuki (吹雪 — Blizzard)

—

Japan

Brig

1807

1807

1807.5

1807.5

1st Fleet

IJS Tennō (天皇 — Emperor)

—

Japan

Brig

1807

1807

1807.5

1807.5

1st Fleet

IJS Setsugetsuka (雪月花 — Serene Beauty)

—

Japan

Brig

1807

1807

1807.5

1807.5

1st Fleet

IJS Amatsukaze (天津風 — Heavenly wind)

—

Japan

Brig

1807

1807.5

1808

1808

1st Fleet

IJS Edo (江戸 — Edo)

—

Japan

Brig

1807

1807.5

1808

1808

1st Fleet

IJS Kyōto (京都 — Kyoto)

—

Japan

Brig

1807

1807.5

1808

1808

1st Fleet

IJS Ienari (家斉 — Tokugawa Ienari)

—

Japan

Brig

1807

1807.5

1808

1808

1st Fleet

IJS Hogo-sha (保護者 — Guardian)

—

Japan

Brig

1807

1807.5

1808

1808

1st Fleet

IJS Ōkami (狼 — Wolf)

—

Japan

Brig

1807

1807.5

1808

1808

1st Fleet

IJS Tetsusenshi (鉄戦士 — Iron warrior)

—

United States

Ironclad

1807

1807

1807.5

1808

1st Fleet

IJS Chishinakaze (致死な風 — Deadly wind)

—

Japan

Frigate

1807

1808

1810

1810

1st Fleet

IJS Nagasaki (長崎 — Nagasaki)

—

Japan

Ironclad

July 1810

September 1810

June 1811

July 1811

2nd Fleet

IJS Teikoku (帝国 — Empire)

—

Japan

Ironclad

July 1810

September 1810

June 1811

July 1811

2nd Fleet

IJS Fukkatsu (復活 — Rebirth)

—

Japan

Ironclad

July 1810

September 1810

June 1811

July 1811

2nd Fleet

IJS Minami (南 — South)

—

Japan

Frigate

July 1810

August 1810

September 1811

October 1811

2nd Fleet

IJS Harukaze (春風 — Spring Wind)

—

Japan

Frigate

July 1810

August 1810

September 1811

October 1811

2nd Fleet

IJS Yamato (大和 — Yamato)

SK5

Japan

Yamato-class Ironclad

July 1810

August 1811

January 1813

January 1813

1st Fleet

IJS Akikaze (秋風 — Autumn Wind)

SK6

Japan

Yamato-class Ironclad

July 1810

August 1811

January 1813

January 1813

3rd Fleet

IJS Fuyukaze (冬風 — Winter Wind)

JN4

Japan

Fuyukaze-class Frigate

July 1810

January 1812

January 1813

January 1813

3rd Fleet

IJS Ryōshi (漁師 — Fisherman)

JN5

Japan

Fuyukaze-class Frigate

July 1810

January 1812

January 1813

January 1813

3rd Fleet

Fleets

The following is a list of fleets employed by the Imperial Japanese Navy, along with their deployment positions. Bold indicates that the fleet is undergoing reconstruction as per the Kantai Kakuchō program. Italics indicates that the fleet is not currently in service.

1st Fleet — Edo

2nd Fleet — Tennō-shoto

3rd Fleet — Nagasaki

4th Fleet — Ōtomari

5th Fleet — Nishichi (Amur region)

6th Fleet — Sapporo

7th Fleet

8th Fleet

9th Fleet

10th Fleet

Former vessels

The following is a list of vessels that have been struck from the Naval Registry either because they have been decommissioned or lost at sea.

Name

Registry number

Class/Type

Commissioned

Decommissioned

Fate

Fleet

IJS Yamato (大和 — Yamato)

—

Brig

1806.5

January 1813

Mothballed, awaiting dismantling

1st Fleet

Under construction

The following is a list of vessels currently under construction and not yet in service.